The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

WITH the exception of Kerrie Cartwright, the Bahamas Lawn Tennis Association (BLTA) will be fielding a more youthful team for the Fed Cup, while the men’s Davis Cup team will be made up of some familiar names.

Federation president Elwood Donaldson said based on the performances at the BLTA’s Georgio Baldacci National Tournament at the National Tennis Centre in December, the players were selected for both teams.

The Fed Cup team will be the first to travel when they go to Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, for the Americans Group II at the Centro National de Tenis, Parque del Este, June 24-27.

Joining Cartwright on the team, captained by Ashley Hall from Grand Bahama, will be Dominique Mortier, Lauran Daxon and Sierra Donaldson. The team is expected to leave on June 19 to get acclimatised and some practice time.

Following their trip, the men’s team will head to Panama City, Panama, where they will compete at the Cancha Estadio Centro de lto Rendimento Fred Maduro in the Americas Zone III. The tie is set for July 20-25, but the team is expected to leave the week before.

Expected to make the trip are Devin Mullings, Rodney Carey Jr, Kevin Major Jr and Justin Lunn. Marvin Rolle will travel as the team’s captain.

The majority of the top players in the country like Simone Pratt, Larikah Russell, Iesha Shepherd and Danielle Thompson will be missing in action, but Donaldson said the BLTA is still confident that the Bahamas will be well represented.

“We feel hopeful about this team. We have a veteran player in Kerrie Cartwright, an up and coming player in Dominique Mortier and two younger players in Lauran Daxon and Sierra Donaldson, who may not get that much playing time, but will gain some exposure.

“We are in Zone II now and we’re hoping that with her strong play, she will be able to lead this team to victory.”

Last year, the Bahamas team of Nikkita Fountain, player/captain Larikah Russell and Iesha Shepherd lost all three matches they played in Pool B of Group 1 against Brazil, Colombia and Ecuador.

In their relegation match to stay in Group 1, the Bahamas lost 2-0 to Venezuela and got demoted.

Donaldson said when the tournament was held in December, which served as the national trials, none of the players from last year participated. Therefore, he said the BLTA decided to select the top players who performed at the trials.

However, he said the BLTA is contemplating having an additional trial prior to the team travelling because it’s obvious that they have not been able to get all of the top players to come home to compete in December.

As for the Davis Cup team, Donaldson said they had a very good trial in December and based on the performances turned in, they are looking for some good things from the participants.

“Devin was one of the premier tennis players in the country for a long time on the Davis Cup team. He has won the national title for about 10 years until Rodney Carey Jr upset him in December,” Donaldson said.

“Although he lost, Devin should be commended because it’s not easy coming to the nationals year after year and to dominate like he did. We have to commend Rodney for being the first player in a long time to beat him. With Kevin and Justin, who are all playing so well right now, we feel that this team should do very well.”

The Bahamas remains in Group III after the team of Marvin Rolle, Devin Mullings, Jamaal Adderley and Kevin Major lost 2-1 to host Puerto Rico in the promotion playoffs that would have pushed the Bahamas up to Zone II this year.

The Bahamas has played in the Fed Cup since 1990 and over the 20-year span has compiled a 29-51 win-loss record in the 80 ties played. Larikah Russell has accumulated the most wins (31-17), most singles (14-8) and most doubles (17-9).

She has also teamed up with Nikkita Fountain for the best doubles team with an 11-9 record. And Fountain has played in the most ties – a total of 36 over a 10-year period, the most by any Bahamian player.

The Bahamas played in Group 1 a number of times. At Davis Cup, the Bahamas began playing in 1989 and has a 39-36 win-loss record in the 75 ties over the past 26 years. Retired Mark Knowles still holds the record for the most wins (41-32), most doubles (18-7) and the most years played (14). He also teamed up with Roger Smith for the best doubles team with a 9-5 record.

Mullings, however, has the most singles victories with an 18-7 record and Marvin Rolle has played in the most ties with a total of 38.

The Bahamas had its best showing in 1993 when the team of Roger Smith, Mark Knowles and John Farrington, captained by John Antonas, reached the World Group playoffs against the United States in Charlotte, North Carolina. The United States, led by Andre Agassi, was no match, pulling off a 5-0 victory. The Bahamas is currently ranked at No.76 in the ITF Davis Cup nations.